This status report provides information on the implementation of the Blueprint for Student Success for the 2000-2001 school year. This is the first of a series monthly reports to be submitted to the board on the last day of each month.

A comprehensive task list has been created by the Office of the Chancellor to monitor implementation of each element of the Blueprint (see attachment). A task force of district managers is meeting weekly to report progress and accomplishment of tasks. Managers from the following departments make up the implementation task force: Standards, Assessment and Accountability, Budget, Communications, Early Childhood, Educational Technology, Extended Learning, Facilities, Human Resources, Literacy/Social Studies, Magnet Programs, Mathematics, Teacher Recruitment and Support.

On March 14, 2000 the school board directed the superintendent and his staff to report to the board no less than on a monthly basis, beginning in May 2000, with information on the following Blueprint components:

• The status of establishing the literacy and student success programs put forth in the Blueprint.

• The enrollment of high school students in college preparatory and intensive support sequences.

• The impacts on electives, GATE, special education, nurse and counseling wellness services, classified support, and special programs.

• The status of magnet programs at each of the eight Focus Schools.

• The status of facility impacts.

• The status of the mathematics core program.

This report is organized to address each of these issues.

1. Literacy and student success programs.

Frameworks

The implementation of the literacy framework is continuing. Professional development has begun for principals and peer coaches on Guided Reading to prepare for full implementation of that strategy in the fall with teachers.

The mathematics framework will be presented to board members in a workshop on June 6, 2000. The mathematics framework was drafted by the Director of Mathematics under the guidance of the Chancellor of Instruction and appropriate district managers and staff. Working sessions to review and revise the frameworks also were held with teachers and principals at Kearny High School on Tuesday, May 9.

EarlyLink

To improve the educational opportunities for preschool children, the EarlyLink Preschool Initiative will establish universal preschool for all children entering the district within the next five years. The first to receive the academically rich, early childhood and childcare program are the Focus Schools. Each preschool family will be offered a comprehensive array of health and social services provided through collaborations with Head Start, Even Start/Lynch, the Urban League, Legler Benbough, and Union Bank.

A collaborative Design Team made up of representatives from Child Development, Head Start, Even Start, Business Services, Facilities, Accounting, Parent Involvement, Special Education and Human Resources has completed an overall strategic plan and determined sites by priority and available space. Facilities for new programs have been ordered and are beginning to be placed on campuses.

Each preschool will need to be licensed by the Department of Social Services through the Child Development Program office. Operational and facility funding has been sought from Federal Head Start Expansion, State Preschool Expansion, the state's new Cal-Safe Program, and Proposition 10.

Extensive training in the High/Scope Cognitively Oriented Curriculum for new Head Start, State Preschool and Child Development Center staff will begin in the Summer, 2000. Existing staff will be included with the K-1 teachers in the professional literacy development to be offered by the Institute. A complete board report will follow in June.

Enhanced First Grade and Kindergarten

Enhanced materials for first grade classes ($5,000 per classroom) have been identified, and the ordering and delivery process has been streamlined. A circular was sent out to all elementary schools with the ordering forms and an explanation of the prescribed and discretionary materials to be purchased. A list is available with the classrooms and dollars available for each school. The materials list and ordering form will be posted on the district website so that ordering can be done on-line, and parents and community members can view the selections. Schools are to submit orders by June 16, and the materials will be sent directly to the schools. Focus Schools have a supplemental list of materials to be purchased with the additional $3,000 they each will receive for enhanced first grade materials.

Proposals were submitted for the Governor’s summer institutes in collaboration with University of California at San Diego. If awarded the grants will provide an additional 60 hours of professional development in literacy for over 1,500 pre-K, K, and 1^st grade teachers for a total of 120 summer hours for each participating teacher.

Professional development already scheduled for the summer will include multiple session of the following:

• Two-day elementary shared reading workshops for teachers of Grades K-2.

• Two-day elementary guided reading workshops for teachers of Grades 2-6.

• Three-day enhanced kindergarten and first grade workshops.

• Three-day workshops on teaching the elementary three-hour literacy block.

Genre Studies

There are two Genre Studies literacy courses that are being offered under the Blueprint. The two-period Genre Studies course is known as the Literacy Block and is being offered in Grades 6/7 for students who are performing below grade level significantly below grade level and in Grades 9/10 for students who are performing below grade level. The three-period Genre Studies course is known as the Literacy Core is being offered in Grades 9/10 for students who are performing significantly below grade level. Each of these Genre Studies courses is described below.

A program of study for the Genre Studies Literacy Block courses in Grades 6/7 and 9/10 has been developed along with a handbook for teachers and a syllabus for the necessary professional development. These documents are being produced by the Materials Development office. New course numbers have been assigned to the Literacy Block courses, so students will get appropriate credit.

Materials for the Literacy Block courses ($2,000 per classroom) will be identified by Literacy Block teachers led by staff developers. Seventy-five percent of funding will be allocated in June 2000 with budget reconciliation in fall 2000. Initial materials will be purchased over the summer, and the ordering process has been streamlined to ensure timely delivery.

There will be 150 sections of the three-period Genre Studies Literacy Core offered across the district. The Literacy Core will use the reader’s and writer’s workshop instructional model to accelerate improvement in reading and writing performance and increase student achievement of literacy standards. In addition, educational technology and applied learning will be integrated as tools for acquiring improved literacy skills.

The design of the three-period Literacy Core is being done collaboratively by the Literacy Department and the Educational Technology unit. The 150 Literacy Core classrooms will be equipped with state-of-the-art educational technology tools and computer applications and courseware.

Some sessions of professional development are being offered for both sets of Genre Studies together, some sessions are to be offered specifically for each group separately.

One hundred and twenty-four Genre Studies teachers attended a voluntary four-hour seminar with teacher, author, and professional developer Janet Allen on Saturday, May 6, to review shared reading and learn strategies for the implementation of guided reading.

Professional development already scheduled for the summer includes multiple sessions of the following for all Genre Studies teachers:

• Three-day Genre Studies workshops for new teachers of Genre Studies.

• Two-day advanced Genre Studies workshops for continuing Genre Studies teachers.

• One-day running records training.

• Two-day training on the Analytical Reading Inventory (supplemental reading assessment).

Proposals were submitted for the Governor’s summer institutes in collaboration with University of California at San Diego for an additional 60 hours of professional development in literacy for both groups of ninth and tenth grade Genre Studies teachers. If the grant is awarded, participating Genre Studies teachers will complete a total of 120 hours of summer professional development.

Specialized professional development for literacy core teachers will include strategies for planning and utilizing the three-hour block and developing a long-range plan for the year. An integral component of the training will be the integration of educational technology into the curriculum to engage students in learning. Teachers of the three-hour literacy block will receive intensified technology training during the Summer Institute, including learning how to create multi-media instructional presentations and how to teach students to use the Internet for research and literacy projects.

Mathematics Specialists

Planning for the implementation of mathematics specialists is under way for the eight Focus Schools. One schedule for mathematics specialists that interfaces with the elementary three-hour literacy block was developed and shared with the principals of the Focus Schools at a meeting on Wednesday, May 3, 2000. The anticipated schedule will involve one mathematics specialist teaching a 90-minute mathematics class for every three teachers in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. The fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers will rotate each 12 weeks among the following three daily schedules:

The schedule will be adapted to fit the start and end times at each school.

The mathematics specialists under this model will have daily professional development opportunities and collaboration with other specialists in mathematics during the time they are not teaching mathematics. During each mathematics period the free fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers will have professional development in literacy. The professional development can include individual time with the peer coach/staff developer, small group work with colleagues, classroom observations, and independent research and study.

Other implementation models will be developed as mathematics specialists are expanded to other schools. Departmentalization models at sites other than Focus Schools will begin with fourth and fifth grade and will be less intensive and designed to limit the need for additional staffing.

Financial resources are being sought through the proposals to the National Science Foundation and other funders to cover the costs of the proposed mathematics specialists for Focus Schools. Beyond the Focus Schools, the priority will be to employ mathematics specialists first at schools with an API 2 designation and then at other low performing schools, as budget and professional development capacity allow.

The recruitment and selection of the mathematics specialists will take place before the end of the school year. Criteria and procedures for selection are being developed by the district in collaboration with San Diego State University. The San Diego Education Association also has been invited to participate in forming the selection criteria. It is proposed that mathematics specialists should be experienced teachers with:

• Direct classroom experience with standards-based instructional approaches.

• Commitment to a belief that all children are capable of learning important mathematics.

• Interest in mathematics and being a life-long learner demonstrated by participation in and application of professional development experiences.

• Willingness to take risks and reflect regularly on teaching practices.

Mathematics specialists will be expected to use a common curriculum, share student work with colleagues, examine and improve classroom practices, and attend ongoing professional development in the summer and throughout the school year.

During the academic year mathematics specialists will take courses in mathematics and mathematics education. At the end of the course of study mathematics specialists will receive a certificate from SDSU indicating their specialist preparation.

Professional development for the mathematics specialists will begin this summer with participation in a weeklong institute on Math Solutions. Math Solutions institutes will be offered for elementary and secondary teachers as indicated below:

• Math Solutions Part 1 for 280 teachers of mathematics in Grades 3-8 (including fourth and fifth grade mathematics specialists) from July 17-21, 2000.

• Math Solutions for High School Grades for 80 teachers of mathematics in Grades 9-12 from July 17-21, 2000.

• A second session of Math Solutions Part 1 for 240 teachers of mathematics in Grades 3-8 from July 31 –August 4, 2000, for teachers who could not attend the first session.

Summer School

Parents of students exiting grades 1, 2, 3, 5 or 6, 8, and 9 received letters during the second and third weeks of May informing them about their performance on specified assessments, including the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) for elementary students, the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT) for secondary students, and the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Program (MDTP) for eighth graders in mathematics. Students who scored below grade-level were recommended to attend summer school. Students in Grade 9 who have been notified that they are recommended to attend summer school can be retested with a different version of the SDRT at the end of the school year if, in the view of the teacher, they have made enough progress to warrant another test.

The number of elementary school sites that will be offering summer school has been increased from 28, as specified in the Blueprint, to 50. The initial list of 28 elementary summer school sites (providing 3,500 seats) was estimated based on past summer school attendance. Once the actual results of the Developmental Reading Assessment were collected, there were 6,000 seats needed, so an additional 22 elementary summer school sites have been added.

Professional development for teachers of Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8 who will teach summer school mathematics was conducted on May 20, 2000, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants received new curriculum materials that will be used to ensure that the summer school experience is effective in raising the achievement of students who are performing significantly below grade level. Weekly professional development sessions for mathematics teachers in the afternoon during summer school will support teachers in implementing the new curriculum materials and instructional strategies.

Professional development for teachers of literacy in Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 during the summer will be held June 16 and 17, 2000, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In addition, summer teachers of literacy will participate in professional development two afternoons per week during the time they are teaching the summer courses. The professional development will be provided by peer coach/staff developers and/or Reading Recovery teachers. The focus of the professional development is on implementing Guided Reading and conducting engaging assessments.

Junior First Grade Academies will be piloted at two elementary school sites—Chollas and Encanto. It is anticipated that there will be 12 classrooms across the two sites. The curriculum in literacy and mathematics will be provided by the literacy and mathematics directors, respectively. Professional development specifically for the teachers of those classes will be held in late May or early June before the summer academies begin.

A summer school information packet was sent to principals the week of May 29. The packet provides a description of the curriculum, instructional program, professional development, and assessment for the Blueprint summer school programs at Grades 1, 2, 3, 5/6, 8, and 9. It also delineates the principal's role and responsibilities for the summer school program and includes operational information related to issues such as staffing, transportation, and bell times. A summer school report card for parents is to be provided to summarize student progress over the summer and make recommendations for course placement in the subsequent school year.

2. Student enrollments in college preparatory and intensive support courses.

It is important to note that both the content and the learning experiences in the intensive support courses are college preparatory. The genre literacy course(s) and the intensive mathematics course(s) will allow students to meet the UC college entrance requirements and will provide students with the academic preparation and intellectual background needed to continue successfully with high school and college study.

Procedures for identifying students for participation in the secondary Genre Studies, literacy core and block courses, and mathematics courses have been established and implemented through the work of the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Department. Placement guideline packets were sent out to principals, vice principals, and head counselors the week of May 1. Informational meetings regarding the placement guidelines was were offered for secondary principals, vice principals, and head counselors at Marina Village on May 8 and 9 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Elementary principals were given information at the instructional conference on May 10.

During the second week of May letters were sent out to parents of fluent English-speaking students in Grades 5 through 9. The letters report and explain student scores on the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test. The letters for Grades 5/6 and Grade 8 students at traditional calendar schools strongly recommend summer school for students scoring below grade level. By the end of May letters were sent to parents of English Language Learners in Grades 5 to 11 to inform parents about course placement for their children for the 2000-2001 academic year.

Information about secondary course enrollment, including Genre Studies, literacy core and block courses, mathematics courses and other courses impacted by the Blueprint will be available in early October. Even though schools are creating preliminary student schedules at this time based on current achievement data, fall placement may change based on student performance in summer school.

3. Impact of Blueprint implementation on elective, GATE, and special education courses; nurse, counseling, and wellness services; classified support; and special programs.

Preliminary data on the impact of literacy Genre Studies, core and block courses on electives and GATE enrollment is being collected from school sites and will be presented in the June status report. Complete data will be available in October when course enrollment is stabilized.

The impact of Blueprint implementation on special education; nurses, counseling wellness services; classified support; and special programs will be reviewed in fall 2000.

4. Status of magnet programs at Focus Schools.

The magnet designation of five of the eight elementary Focus Schools identified in the Blueprint has been changed to "Extended Study Academic Magnet with Enhanced Literacy and Mathematics." The following changes were made:

• Baker Montessori—added the "Extended Study Academic Magnet with Enhanced Literacy and Mathematics."

• Balboa—changed from International Baccalaureate Preparatory magnet.

• Emerson-Bandini—changed from Marine Science and Two-Way Spanish/English Immersion magnet.

• King—changed from Geography and World Cultures magnet.

• Sherman—changed from Microsociety magnet.

The three remaining Focus Schools will not be converted to magnet schools but will retain their current designation as "Academic Enrichment Academies." The three Academic Enrichment Academies are Chavez, Jackson, and Kimbrough.

All eight schools will focus on improving academic achievement in literacy and mathematics; offer eleven months of continuous study for all students; offer extended day literacy and mathematics programs for selected grade levels; provide 6-to-6 before- and after-school programs; employ mathematics specialists to provide high quality mathematics instruction for all fourth and fifth grade students; provide additional literacy and mathematics materials for all classrooms; provide supplemental enriched literacy materials for all first grade classrooms; engage two full-time literacy peer coach/staff developers; and employ a parent activity liaison who will offer parent programs and support.

The new designation has been added as a supplement to the magnet brochure. At this time magnet applications are still being submitted. Parents who applied prior to the change have been notified by mail of the new focus. The total magnet requests for each school will be reported in a later status report.

5. Status of facilities impacts.

Additional portable classrooms that are required for implementation of the Blueprint because of class size reduction strategies will be ready for opening of school on September 5, 2000. Some schools have the space to accommodate their new teachers, but half of the 111 estimated new teachers required will need new classrooms as shown in the breakdown below:

• 22 middle level classrooms at the following schools:

EarlyLink bungalows will be placed at two Focus Schools, Emerson-Bandini and King, as specified in the Blueprint. Six additional low performing schools will receive EarlyLink bungalows as well.

The Institute for Learning training facility approved as part of the Blueprint will be set up at Zamorano Elementary School. The 3,600 square foot facility will have a 2,640 square foot training facility with a 960 square foot standard classroom that is equipped with a one-way glass partition so participants can observe classroom activities without disturbing students. The revised date of occupancy for the training facility is October 30, 2000.

6. Mathematics core program.

The ninth grade intensive support course in mathematics has been given a name and a course number that will allow students to earn appropriate college-entrance credit. The course will be called Algebra Exploration 9^th and will include a revised program of study, enhanced materials, and reduced class size. Two groups of students will be identified for Algebra Exploration 9^th:

1. Ninth graders who have never taken algebra.

2. Students who have previously taken algebra but have not acquired sufficient knowledge and skill to enable them to successfully participate in subsequent mathematics courses.

All exiting eighth grade students enrolled in algebra courses will be tested with the Geometry Readiness Test developed by the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) at the University of California at San Diego. Students who score below specified levels will be assigned to Algebra Exploration 9^th.

Diagnostic reports from the MDTP for each student, including analyses of specific items that were missed, will be returned to the school within a week to ten days after the answer sheets are turned in. Summer school teachers will be able to use the results to identify specific areas of weakness and provide appropriate instruction to summer school students. Summer school teachers will have the option of read ministering the test at the end of the summer to students they believe have made substantial progress in mastering algebra concepts. If their test results reflect sufficient improved achievement, students will not be assigned to the Algebra Exploration 9^th and will be able to move into geometry.

The program of study for the sixth grade core mathematics course and the pilot double-period mathematics block for sixth grade are being designed collaboratively with faculty from San Diego State University. The courses will utilize a variety of research-based curriculum materials.

For the double period sixth grade block course Professor Judy Sowder, Director of the San Diego State University Center for Research on Mathematics and Science Education (CRMSE) and Math Director Kris Acquarelli are meeting with administrators and teachers at each of the three middle school pilot sites. Teachers will be recruited from those schools for participation in a series of courses that will be offered through the San Diego State University Center for Research on Mathematics and Science Education (CRMSE). A grant has been awarded from the Governor’s program to CRMSE for 120 hours of professional development over the next year for the mathematics teachers at each of the three middle school pilot sites—Mann, Montgomery, and Wilson. There will be two professional development institutes during intersessions of 40 hours each, and 40 hours during the school year. In addition the teachers will attend a weeklong summer institute on Math Solutions.

Teachers of the sixth grade mathematics core course (regular class period but with a reduced class size and enhanced materials) and the Algebra Explorations 9^th will attend the summer institute on Math Solutions.